Dear Rabbi Simon,
Is it okay to eat blueberries and stawberries etc in England? If there is a bug problem with them, how do I check them?
Helen
Hi Helen
TY for your question via our website. Blueberries and strawberries are quite different from one another insofar as infestation is concerned. Blueberries are often free of insects. Buy good quality berries, rinse and eat. Insects are relatively rare. Strawberries, however, are a different matter. Depending on season and other factors, they can be prone to infestation and can prove challenging to check/clean. Recommended is to cut off the leafy stem at the top, including some of the flesh of the berry, and then soaking in salt water, rinsing well, and then checking thoroughly. (Yes, it’s a lot of work.)
For useful general guidelines covering a range of popular fruits and vegetables, click on https://www.kosher.org.uk/article/fruit-vegetable-checking
I hope this is helpful.
Rabbi Rashi Simon